My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer, the boy told the alchemist one night as they looked up at the moonless sky. Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams.

Every few decades a book is published that changes the lives of its readers forever. The Alchemist is such a book. With over a million and a half copies sold around the world, The Alchemist has alre...

My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer, the boy told the alchemist one night as they looked up at the moonless sky. Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams.

Every few decades a book is published that changes the lives of its readers forever. The Alchemist is such a book. With over a million and a half copies sold around the world, The Alchemist has already established itself as a modern classic, universally admired. Paulo Coelhos charming fable, now available in English for the first time, will enchant and inspire an even wider audience of readers for generations to come.

The Alchemist is the magical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure as extravagant as any ever found. From his home in Spain he journeys to the markets of Tangiers and across the Egyptian desert to a fateful encounter with the alchemist.

The story of the treasures Santiago finds along the way teaches us, as only a few stories have done, about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, learning to read the omens strewn along life's path, and, above all, following our dreams.

The alchemist by Paulo Coelho is a fable of a young shepherd boy called Santiago in search of a life’s true meaning. This book tells us that in our journey of existence..More detailsThe alchemist by Paulo Coelho is a fable of a young shepherd boy called Santiago in search of a life’s true meaning. This book tells us that in our journey of existence we drown in the aspirations and expectations of others and tend to lose our individuality, thus becoming a part of the flock. During his soul search journey he comes across a gypsy, an old king and Arabic woman and lastly a lone alchemist. Amongst all his encounters, the wisest advice he got was “Those who failed to comprehend personal legends will fail to understand its teaching”. This book changed my thought process and how I perceived life in totality. It made me ponder on questions that seemed to be insignificant but actually was the answer to all my confusion. A must read and eye opener to how one must acknowledge every conjunction in life to gain self satisfaction.Hide details

Of all the Paulo Coelho books written so far, The Alchemist is the most mesmerizing in its depiction of the journey of a shepherd boy named Santiago.A fable that gives th..More detailsOf all the Paulo Coelho books written so far, The Alchemist is the most mesmerizing in its depiction of the journey of a shepherd boy named Santiago.A fable that gives the subtle message - follow you heart, and that all treasure more precious than gold lies within you. The later books of the writer too often follow a similar pattern, of the main protagonist bound on a journey, so the novelty has worn off, but much of the magic is still there in The Alchemist. A good read.Hide details

The Alchemist details the journey of an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago.
Santiago, believing a recurring dream to be prophetic, decides to travel to the pyramids..More detailsThe Alchemist details the journey of an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago.

Santiago, believing a recurring dream to be prophetic, decides to travel to the pyramids of Egypt to find treasure. He then tells a lone gypsy about this treasure.
As he leaves, the gypsy mentions one thing: if he does find the treasure, she wants 10 percent of it. On the way, he encounters love, danger, opportunity, disaster and learns a lot about himself and the ways of the world. One of the significant characters that he meets is an old king named Melchizedek who tells him about discovering his personal legend: what he always wanted to accomplish in his life. And that "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." This is the core philosophy and motto of the book.

During his travels, he meets a beautiful Arabian woman named Fatima who explains to him that if he follows his heart, he shall find what it is he seeks. Santiago then encounters a lone alchemist who tells about personal legends. He says that people only want to find the treasure of their personal legends but not the personal legend itself. He feels unsure about himself as he listens to the alchemist's teachings. The alchemist states "Those who don't understand their personal legends will fail to comprehend its teachings." It also states that treasure is more precious than gold.
Re-enforcing beliefs and notions that we know but don't tend to abide or follow is what the novel does. Makes for a very good read.Hide details

I think the book The Alchemist is popular for no reason... I did not find it worthy of the appreciation it earned and the book was very repetitive in certain parts. Howev..More detailsI think the book The Alchemist is popular for no reason... I did not find it worthy of the appreciation it earned and the book was very repetitive in certain parts. However, the one line - When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it - is the only sensible thing in the book... The rest is mumbo jumboHide details

An extraordinary work. Its great value, I think, is that it leaves mysteries of Life as they are but yet reveals.Mysteries exposed , though unrevealed, keep many of us m..More detailsAn extraordinary work. Its great value, I think, is that it leaves mysteries of Life as they are but yet reveals.Mysteries exposed , though unrevealed, keep many of us moving who otherwise may become stagnent.
T.Rathinavelu, IndiaHide details

The Alchemist is a very simple book. It is also a very brilliant tale, a mesmerizing concoction of the many elements that make a great story- there’s passion, there’s..More detailsThe Alchemist is a very simple book. It is also a very brilliant tale, a mesmerizing concoction of the many elements that make a great story- there’s passion, there’s love, there’s danger and adventure. But that alone doesn’t explain why the book has sole more than 65 million copies, why it has been lauded by critics, famous people, teenagers and adults alike, or why, after being first published in 1993 (English edition), it still sells as many copies.

Karl Marx said that religion is the opiate of the masses. Paulo Coelho has given the masses an opiate, not religion, but an opiate. He has played around the strongest urge, desire and passion of man- that to succeed. And that’s what the novel is all about, how you can get what you really desire with all your heart. The book’s message lies in its most famous line- “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” Now do you see the power behind the book?

Coelho takes your dreams and desires and gives you the hope, the power to believe and the faith that all that you wish will come to you. And it will come to you with the aid of the entire universe, nature and men conspiring with each other to help you fulfill your dreams. Such promises, or the fulfillment of some such in a story can seem immensely attractive. And that is what makes the book such a huge success.

It is in essence a self help book, told beautifully through the story of an Andulasian shepherd who goes on to unravel his destiny and find his treasure studying signs that nature and fate throws at him. Isn’t that how all of our lives run- on signs and indications, on risks and opportunities, on means and ends? And what do we all want while we chase our dreams- a little bit of help and hope. And this book gives you exactly that.

An alchemist is someone who practices alchemy, a philosophy and ancient practice focusing on changing base metals to gold, preparing the elixir of life and achieving the ultimate wisdom. The book plays the role of its title, the Alchemist, transforming your meager wishes into grand dreams, giving you the magical potion of hope and belief and egging you to unravel your own fate.

Critics and cynics alike will call this a novel chasing lofty fairytale ideas, but what is life if not chasing fairytale ideas? Optimists and dreamers would definitely love this book. So drop the cynicism and pick up this book for a thrilling journey with Santiago and his dreams.Hide details

The book tells the story of Santiago, a boy who has a dream and the guts to follow it. After listening to "the signs" the boy embarks on a journey of searching and self-d..More detailsThe book tells the story of Santiago, a boy who has a dream and the guts to follow it. After listening to "the signs" the boy embarks on a journey of searching and self-discovery, symbolically searching for a hidden treasure that is to be found near the pyramids in Egypt.

When he decides to go, his father's counsels him, "Travel the world until you see that our castle is the greatest and our women the most beautiful". In his journey, Santiago sees the greatness of the world, and has encounters with all kinds of exciting people like kings and alchemists. He discovers that "treasure lies where your heart belongs", and that the treasure for him was the journey itself, the discoveries he made, and the wisdom he gained.

The Alchemist is a novel that bursts with optimism. The core of the novel's philosophy is, "when you REALLY want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true." Through this work of art Coelho states that we should not evade our destinies, and urges people to follow their dreams, because to find our "Personal Myth" and our mission on Earth is the way to find "God", meaning happiness, fulfillment, and the ultimate purpose of creation. Those who do not have the courage to follow their “Personal Myth", are condemned to a life of emptiness and misery. Coelho also states that Fear of failure is the greatest obstacle to happiness. The Alchemist is a highly enjoyable read because we can all identify with Santiago: we all have dreams, and are desperately seeking reassurance that they may come true.Hide details

“That’s what Alchemist do. They show that when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too….”- Santiago, the Alchemist.
Paul..More details“That’s what Alchemist do. They show that when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too….”- Santiago, the Alchemist.
Paulo Coelho pens down an enchanting story of an idiosyncratic boy, who travels from his home town in Spain in Delve of valued temporal treasure which none have found. Through his journey a decisive fatalistic meeting with an Alchemist is in store for him, which would metamorphise his life forever.
Paulo Coelho‘s writing in this book is a complete perfection. It has a message which created a delectable impression in the readers mind. There’s a lot which can be learnt from the book on the intellectual front. The conversations between the characters in this book are de luxe, unprecedented or unrivalled to any other books writing.
This book has the capability to change a persons mind set and provides the reader with many words of wisdom. It’s a complete inspiration in terms of spirituality and religion.

When you really want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true." These words echo throughout the wonderful novel, The Alchemist. It i..More detailsWhen you really want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true." These words echo throughout the wonderful novel, The Alchemist. It is all about pursuing one's dreams.
The novel tells the tale of Santiago, a boy who has a dream and the courage to follow it. After listening to "the signs" the boy ventures in his personal, Ulysses-like journey of exploration and self-discovery, symbolically searching for a hidden treasure located near the pyramids in Egypt. In his journey, Santiago sees the greatness of the world, and meets all kinds of exciting people. However, by the end of the novel, he discovers that "treasure lies where your heart belongs", and that the treasure was the journey itself, the discoveries he made, and the wisdom he acquired.
The Alchemist was originally written in Portuguese and has since been translated into 56 languages. Bursting with optimism, the tale is inspiring, imaginative, and captivating. However, due to translation its essence gets lost somewhere but still it is able to deliver the message to the reader. It is a simple fable based on simple truths which places it in a highly unique situation. However, if you are looking for a book that is more revolved about being encouraging and inspiring, then this might not be the one for youHide details

It has been called a ‘modern fable’ and a ‘book of universal wisdom’. So many epithets have been assigned to this book, and The Alchemist lives up to all of them..More details It has been called a ‘modern fable’ and a ‘book of universal wisdom’. So many epithets have been assigned to this book, and The Alchemist lives up to all of them. It is the story of a young shepherd boy Santiago from the scenic mountains of Spain, who has a recurring dream about hidden treasure. It’s about his journey all the way to Egypt in search of this treasure, where he meets an alchemist, one of those mystical scientists of yore, who apparently possessed the knowledge of turning lead into gold.
The entire book is like a metaphor for life. What appears to be a simple fairy tale for grown-ups is actually a veil for the ‘magical’ aspects of life, especially destiny. The crux of it is immortalized in this famous line from the book – “If you really want something with all your heart, the entire universe conspires to help you achieve it.”
The Alchemist has won itself a place in the Guinness World Records as the most translated work by a living author. Paulo Coelho’s lucid style makes for easy reading. Read it to find out if Santiago really finds the treasure of his dreams. Or just read it to learn about the mysteries of life.Hide details